Journey to Hogwarts: Next Generation
by Iris Kane
Summary: A few scenes following the end of Deathly Hallows as Harry, Ron, and Hermione's children begin their Hogwarts adventures. (I may add a few scenes with Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione later)
1. Departure from Platform 9 and 34

**"Journey to Hogwarts: The Next Generation"**

"You were named for two great headmasters of Hogwarts… The Sorting Hat takes your choice into account."

His father's words rang in Albus Potter's mind as he stared out the window of the Hogwarts Express. He was in a compartment all alone which suited him just fine. At the moment, he had a lot on his mind and didn't feel like having his older brother put his two cents in. If Albus knew James (and he did) he was probably somewhere talking to his friends, eagerly anticipating the upcoming term. Maybe he would go find his cousin Rose, she was like his Aunt Hermione (her mother) she was always there to be a listening ear, which Albus needed right now.

He found Rose a few compartments down the train she was sitting by herself, reading, as usual. When Albus opened the door she looked up.

"Hey Al." She said pleasantly, "pretty crazy, Hogwarts huh?"

"Yeah." Albus replied softly, he wasn't quite sure what to say and distractedly ran a hand through his untidy black hair.

Rose looked at him quizzically.

"What's wrong Al? You seem quiet… Quieter than usual, I mean."

"I don't know," Albus replied, "I guess it's the sorting thing… I'm not all that worried, really, but you know even though my dad says Hogwarts has changed quite a bit since he went to school."

Rose nodded.

"Yeah, it has. The new version of Hogwarts: a History describes the battle and everything, what your dad did and the renovations that were made to the castle immediately following the war."

Albus nodded absently before his green eyes brightened and he momentarily grinned at his cousin.

"You so sound like Aunt Hermione."

Rose Weasley drew herself up giving Albus a superior look.

"Well, she is my mom; dad always said I was a lot like her, even she thinks so."

Albus was about to say something when the compartment door opened again, this time revealing a tall boy with a thin face and platinum blonde hair. He was currently wearing a scowl and sporting a large black eye.

Rose looked up and her brown eyes widened.

"What happened to you?" She asked.

"Sixth years." The blonde boy spat. "Say I'm too good to be in Slytherin," then he drew himself up to his full height with an air of superiority. "If it was good enough for my father it's good enough for me!"

"Who are you?" Rose asked curiously.

The other boy extended his hand.

"Scorpius Malfoy."

Rose nodded.

"Rose Weasley." She replied in an equally firm tone.

Scorpius' eyes slid over to Albus.

"Oh, you must be one of the Potter boys." He took in Albus his messy hair and green eyes, "know all about your father of course."

"Do you want me to take care of that for you?" Rose gestured to Scorpius' eye while simultaneously reaching for her wand.

"No, I'll wait till we get to Hogwarts… I'm sure there's somebody there that can patch me up. See you on the platform." He gave a small wave before exiting the compartment.

"Well," Rose said with a tone of finality, "that was interesting… I can't wait till we get to Hogwarts."

Albus returned to staring out the window as he continued the train ride with his cousin.

"Yeah," he mused, "me either."


	2. The Walk Home

Chapter 2

Harry, Ginny Ron and Hermione stood on the platform a while longer, watching as the scarlet steam engine disappeared around the bend.

After a while Harry stretched and turned away, motioning Ginny to follow him.

"I better get back to the Ministry," Harry said, "I'm lucky Kingsley likes me and doesn't send a Howler after me."

Ron chuckled under his breath.

"Kingsley loves you Harry, you're still one of the best Aurors he's got."

"Oh come off it, you two," Hermione scolded as she reached to take her youngest from her husband, "Kingsley knew we were going to be off part of the morning and our heads of department know."

Harry shrugged as he followed Ginny and his youngest daughter back through the barrier, continuing his conversation with his two best friends as they reappeared on the Muggle side of the station.

"I don't know, I just feel guilty I guess… Like I'll be missing something if I stay out much longer."

Behind him, Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Harry, you're practically head of the entire bloody Auror department as it is," Ron exclaimed, "surely Kingsley would let you off now and then."

Hermione shot Ron a nasty look as she covered Hugo's ears.

"Language, Ronald." She hissed before Ron suddenly looked contrite.

"Harry," suddenly Ginny cut into their conversation, "we better get everybody home I know you, Ron and Hermione have to get back to work."

Harry nodded.

"Right."

"You take Lily and I'll be on my way I guess," he smiled and leaned down to kiss her before turning away and Ginny knew he was looking for a spot to Apprate without being seen by the Muggles. When Ginny looked again her husband was gone.

As she walked back towards a deserted area of the street Ron and Hermione continued behind her and clearly having a similar conversation.

"As soon as we get to that deserted bus stop across the street you head for the Ministry while I take Hugo home," Hermione instructed, "the head of my department knows I will be later, besides," she added importantly, "she knows I get the work done."

"The sitter should be there than?" Ron asked glancing from Hugo to Hermione and back again.

"Yes," Hermione replied, "I told her sometime after 11… I wasn't quite sure when we would be back."

"I'm taking Lily back to Number 12," Ginny interjected, "Merlin, I will be glad when she starts school."

At that moment Lily Potter looked up at her mother.

"Me too mummy, me too."

Ginny, Ron, and Hermione continued talking as they walked down the sidewalk. "Teddy said he would be by later, but I think he's going to be at Shell Cottage for a while." Ginny added this comment as an afterthought thinking of her husband's godson, who was currently dating her niece.

Ron snorted at his sister's comment.

"Yeah, I wonder why."

Half a block later the three adults still found the bus terminal deserted, took their children and Apparated home, their minds already on the work they had to do that day after seeing their older children off on the train.

.


	3. Sorting

Chapter 3

It was dark when the train pulled up in the station and there was Hagrid with his large swinging lantern to meet the first years as they got off the train.

Albus saw James was already greeting their parents' old friend.

"Hiya Hagrid!" His older brother greeted enthusiastically. James and Albus, or Al as he was more commonly known, looked very much alike except James was 3 inches taller, 3 years older and had brown eyes instead of green.

"Hello there James," Hagrid greeted, "now yeh run along to the carriages," he called as he waved, "an' stay out of trouble, yeh hear, o' yeh parents be hearing from me!" This had been Hagrid's constant refrain from the minute James Potter had started at Hogwarts; as he seemed to have inherited his father's and grandfather's talent for trouble.

Beside him Albus heard Rose sigh.

"Honestly," she said in a tone very much like her mother, "will he ever learn, you think he would know better by now."

Albus stifled a smirk. He was feeling much better than he had when he had left platform 9 and three quarters at least his brother getting in trouble was nothing new, he had been getting into trouble alongside his cousins for as long as Al could remember.

Hagrid watched as James disappeared before turning his attention back to the first years.

"First years, first years, this way!" Hagrid bellowed over the crowd and Rose, Albus and Scorpius fell in the line and followed the rest of the first years towards the boats that would take them across to the castle.

Albus had heard many things about Hogwarts from his parents and cousins, least of all Teddy and Victorie who had long since graduated. The castle was every bit as magnificent as he had imagined, although he had heard a fair number of details from Rose who was already reading Hogwarts: a History for the second time.

They were greeted at the doors by Professor McGonagall, headmistress, although she still took the responsibility of bringing in the new students and helping with the sorting ceremony before the welcoming feast.

"Thank you Hagrid," the severe looking woman said crisply, "I'll take it from here."

They were led through the long corridors to a room just off the Great Hall while McGonagall went through the rules and regulations specifying what was expected of them over the term. Albus noted some of the boys looked bored while most of the girls listened attentively. McGonagall left them to their own devices for a few minutes before she returned a short time later leading them to join the rest of the school.

As Albus and most of his cousins were at the back of the line they had a fair ways to go before McGonagall got to any of them, the tall slender boy they had met on the train, Scorpius, was first.

"MALFOY, SCORPIUS" McGonagall called.

Scorpius came forward and sat on the stool, as Albus expected the hat was quick with a verdict.

"SLYTHERIN!" It yelled to the Hall.

The Slytherins cheered and applauded as Scorpius joined them, although there were a few whispers, probably of children of the others that had fought in the war Albus thought.

There were half a dozen names before Albus was called, and he thought he saw the headmistress smile before reading his name.

"POTTER, ALBUS"

Albus made his way up to the stool. It was only then he realized his knees were shaking slightly and all the uncertainty he had felt on the platform earlier came rushing back. His first thought as the hat fell over his eyes was:

What am I doing here? Where do I go?

A small voice seemed to answer his very thought.

"Where do you go, eh? That is the question, is it? You definitely want to prove yourself, that's for certain, unsure of your path yes, but greatness there is in you yet!"

Should I be in Gryffindor?" Albus thought, or should I be in Slytherin?

"Hmm…" The hat murmured. "Uncertain you are, yes, but if there is something you want you only have to ask."

Anything, Albus thought, I'm really fine with anything, dad said Slytherin, isn't bad anymore, is it?

The hat muttered for a few more minutes before shouting.

"SLYTHERIN!"

The Slytherins cheered once more while there were mutters and murmurs from the other house tables.

"A Potter? In Slytherin? Did I hear that right?"

Somewhere over his shoulder Albus knew James and the others were giving him a funny look, but for the first time in months he didn't really care.

After he was settled Albus continued to watch the rest of the Sorting. The last person in line he knew by name was Rose and finally her name was called.

"WEASLEY, ROSE"

The hat didn't take long deciding with Rose, it seemed to know exactly where she belonged the moment the hat touched her head.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Then Rose made her way over to the Gryffindor table, smiling at Scorpius Malfoy as she went, Albus thought he saw her mouth "hospital wing" as she walked past. Looking down at the table he saw Scorpius was still sporting his black eye.

Albus turned and watched as Rose took a seat at the Gryffindor table, most of his family was in Gryffindor, and for a moment he felt strangely lonely, but at least he knew someone in his own year and his eyes returned to Scorpius Malfoy.

…

Following dinner, McGonagall dismissed the students and they filed from the hall, still chattering. As Albus followed one of the Slytherin prefects towards the dungeons, he noted Scorpius Malfoy was no longer in the line behind him.

…

Rose was on her way to Gryffindor tower when she saw Scorpius Malfoy walked quickly by her. It was only then he turned his head and winked at her before asking another prefect something and heading up the great staircase and Rose knew he was taking her advice. The thought made her feel strangely warm.

…

It was sometime later before Albus saw Scorpius again.

"Hey," he called, "where you'd disappear off to?"

Scorpius gestured to his face.

"Hospital wing." He replied.

"You actually listened to my cousin?" Albus asked, not even bothering to keep the incredulity out of his voice.

Scorpius shrugged.

"Hey, she knows what she's talking about. Madame Pompfrey wanted to know how I managed to get into a fight on the first day of school before the term had even started. I told her I hadn't started it, that the boys punched me, at least they're in the upper dormitories at the moment, but I'm hoping now they don't actually hate me."

"Hey," Albus said, "at least they won't be teasing you like they will me, half of them think I have a piece of a dark wizard in my head like my dad did… And that's the only reason the hat put me in Slytherin."

"Well I guess we're going to have to stick together," Scorpius said firmly, "we can watch each other's backs if they decided to beat either of us up."

The boys slapped hands as they climbed into their four posters.

"Deal!"

 **AN: This is my last chapter of this story for now, I don't know I'm going to continue it or not. If I do it will focus on Albus, Scorpius and Rose primarily, but at the moment I've written all I wanted to write at this time.**


	4. The Troubles of Scorpius Malfoy

**By request, I've decided to continue this story. For the time being it will only be 2 more chapters (or until I think of more) these chapters will focus primarily on Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy.**

...

Chapter 4

After much consideration as he made his way through a slice kidney pie Scorpius decided to take Rose Weasley's advice and go to the hospital wing. Judging by the looks Albus Potter was giving him from the other end of the table he knew it must look pretty bad. So after the tables had magically cleared themselves and the students were headed for their dormitories, Scorpius sought out his Head of House, Professor Slughorn to ask if he could go to the hospital wing.

Professor Slughorn was a jolly, rotund man with a large mustache and saw Scorpius in the right direction as he made his way back to his office.

The hospital wing was a large, long room consisting of beds along one wall, a series of chairs, and a small office for the nurse, Madame Pompfrey. It seemed Madame Pompfrey herself had just returned from the welcome feast and was just settling back down into her office when Scorpius arrived.

She made a "tsk" noise in the back of her throat when she saw him. Her sharp eyes taking in his condition before she motioned him to sit down.

"Not even the beginning of term yet and you're already getting into fights, are you?" She asked.

"No ma'am." Scorpius replied meekly his cheeks instantly going pink.

She looked him up and down again.

"Malfoy, is it?" She ruffled through some papers on her desk before nodding in satisfaction.

"Yes ma'am." Scorpius replied.

"Look very much like your father did at your age." The nurse commented absently, "always getting in here for Quidditch injuries or some other scuffle in the corridors." She frowned momentarily before pulling out her wand.

By now, Scorpius was used to being compared to his father. They after all, looked very much alike, the same blonde hair and the same gray eyes, but Scorpius hoped that's where the similarities ended. His view of the world had been more shaped by his mother than his father, everything he heard about what his family had done during the war made him feel vaguely queasy. While he didn't quite understand it all he knew that wasn't the image he wanted people to have of him.

"So, what happened?" Madame Pompfrey demanded.

"I got punched." Scorpius replied crossly.

"You didn't start it, I hope." The nurse replied firmly, although Scorpius had the sense she wasn't exactly scolding him.

"No ma'am." Scorpius responded again. "They think I'm no better than the rest of my family." He muttered sourly, his eyes drifting to the carpet.

"Rubbish!" The plump little witch said flatly. "I'm sure you have plenty to offer the world. Now," she responded briskly, "look up and stay still, this will only take a minute." She held her wand to his face, muttered an incantation and a Scorpius felt a momentary warming sensation on the side of his face and when he looked in the mirror exiting the hospital wing the discoloration and bruising around his eye he had completely disappeared.

Following his trip to the hospital wing, Scorpius returned to his dormitory with the help of a few prefects who were patrolling the hallways for straggling students. He knew it was almost bedtime from the lack of activity in the castle, so he hurried along making sure Filch didn't catch him on his way back down to the dungeons.

When he returned to the dormitory he found Albus Potter waiting for him.

"Hey," he called, "where you'd disappear off to?"

Scorpius gestured to his face.

"Hospital wing." He replied.

"You actually listened to my cousin?" Albus asked, the black haired boy looked flabbergasted.

Scorpius shrugged.

"Hey, she knows what she's talking about. Madame Pompfrey wanted to know how I managed to get into a fight on the first day of school before the term had even started. I told her I hadn't started it, that the boys punched me, at least they're in the upper dormitories at the moment, but I'm hoping now they don't actually hate me."

"Hey," Albus said, "at least they won't be teasing you like they will me, half of them think I have a piece of a dark wizard in my head like my dad did… And that's the only reason the hat put me in Slytherin."

"Well I guess we're going to have to stick together," Scorpius said firmly, "we can watch each other's backs if they decided to beat either of us up."

The boys slapped hands as they climbed into their four posters.

"Deal!"


	5. Rose's Bad Morning

**This was one of my favorite chapters to write, I wanted to write a scene with Rose in class, but the overall chapter changed quite a bit from when I came up with it a few weeks ago.**

Chapter 5

The first Thursday after the start of term was, quite possibly, the worst day of Rose Weasley's life. To start of the day she had woken up late and waking up to find your magical alarm clock screaming at you "you're late, you're late" was not exactly how she wanted to start her day. To add to her already frazzled mood she had pretty much missed breakfast and only had enough time to grab a piece of toast and a glass of pumpkin juice before heading for her first class. She hoped no one would notice her grumbling stomach.

Rose thought most of her troubles were over for the morning and they probably would've been if it hadn't been for Herbology.

She trudged with the rest of the Gryffindors towards the greenhouses where Professor Longbottom was waiting for them. Today they had Herbology with the Slytherins; she wouldn't mind if this if it hadn't been for Scorpius Malfoy.

She hadn't quite made her mind up about Scorpius since they had met (awkwardly) on the train. From what she had observed he and Albus were as thick as thieves now, which she didn't really care about they were in the same house so it was just as well, but there was something about the other boy that made her vaguely nervous.

Of course, as was her habit in such situations the logical part of her brain kicked in, something, no doubt, she had gotten from her mother.

Are you crazy? A voice in her head and said in an annoying tone that reminded her of the vocal alarm on her watch or the charmed planners she used, you're only 11… Well, 11 and three quarters, why should you worry about a boy? It was the same question Rose asked herself every time she saw Scorpius before quickly shoving the thoughts out of her mind again.

She was still turning this over here mind on the way to the greenhouses, only vaguely watching as James and his friends along with a few more of her cousins ran ahead. She followed behind, lugging her school bag over one shoulder.

Today, Professor Longbottom, (Neville to her family when she wasn't in school) was giving a lesson on Boobertubers. While he lectured Rose buried her nose in her textbook trying to avoid eye contact with Scorpius who was across the aisle from her. She had done such a good job of avoiding him that she hadn't been paying attention to what she was doing and knocked over a bowl of pus which in a matter of seconds had given her a number of nasty boils.

Professor Longbottom gave her a brief disapproving look, but he only looked resigned and vaguely disappointed.

"Rosie, I told you to put your gloves on and pay attention. You should know better than that."

Rose studied her shoes, feeling her ears burn.

"Yes Sir," she mumbled meekly, "I'm sorry Sir, it won't happen again."

Professor Longbottom paused before calling out a couple of names.

"Potter, Malfoy," he gestured to Albus and Scorpius. "Please take Ms. Weasley to the Hospital Wing… All three of you see me later about the homework." He gave them a stern look that didn't quite fit his friendly face before sending them on their way.

The three of them awkwardly made their way up to the Hospital Wing without saying a word. Rose didn't look at Scorpius or her cousin, who had both been shooting her sympathetic looks before and after her scolding from the Herbology professor. Rose was quite sure when the fire on her face (or her entire skin for that matter) wouldn't go out anytime soon. To be escorted by the one boy she didn't really want to be around was awkward enough.

She said quietly while Madame Pomfrey treated her boils. Albus and Scorpius sitting nearby. Scorpius occasionally gave her sympathetic smile, but he hadn't spoken since they had left the greenhouse. It was as if he was trying to say is much as he could without actually speaking.

Rose left to the Hospital Wing a short time later with a potion she was supposed to take for the next 8 to 12 hours. It was mostly a painkiller, but the nurse said it would help with the inflammation has the boils continued to heal.

It wasn't until after lunch Scorpius who had been talking to Al before their afternoon class, came up to her.

"Look," he said, "I'm sorry you were hurt this morning, but you got to be more careful… You heard what Longbottom said. You don't strike me as someone who gets easily distracted. What's with you anyway Weasley?"

Rose flushed as Scorpius sauntered away before she could answer. Talk about a backhanded compliment. Rose still stuck to her assessment she had come to that morning, one minute he seemed like a sweet sensitive person and the next minute he said something vaguely insulting. She could tolerate him for Al's sake, they seem to be fast friends from what she could tell, but that didn't mean she had to like him.

Rose glanced at her watch, she still had twenty or thirty minutes before her next class; that was just enough time to see Professor Longbottom in his office about the homework she had missed that morning. That was the last time she let someone as unimportant as Scorpius Malfoy distract her.


End file.
